On Friday, September 19th, the European Commission unveiled a new sanctions package aimed at Moscow, with implementation subject to the approval of European Union member states.
Set to outline the package’s details later on Friday, Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has already indicated that it would target cryptocurrencies and banks—while accelerating the phase-out of Russian fossil fuel imports.
Commission spokeswoman Paula Pinho told a Brussels press briefing
We can confirm that the commission has adopted a new package of sanctions against Russia, the 19th package.
The EU has introduced 18 sanction packages on Russia since February 2022, including measures such as asset freezes and a broad restriction on oil imports.
Finalisation of the new package comes after U.S. president Donald Trump urged allies to stop buying Russian oil and introduce tariffs on China—ahead of possible further measures against Moscow.
After speaking with Trump this week, von der Leyen said the Commission aimed to accelerate “the phase-out of Russian fossil imports”—a process previously scheduled to be completed by the end of 2027.
As the EU has already restricted most Russian oil—reducing its share of imports from 29% in early 2021 to 2% by mid-2025—the new measures are expected to target gas imports.
Under the measures presented for approval by the bloc’s member states, the European Commission said it aims to phase out liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports from Russia by January 2027—a year earlier than originally planned.
EU support for such measures are far from unanimous, with Slovak PM Robert Fico—among others—warning of the consequences of the sanctions regime for member states.
